Kemi Badenoch says Brexit has reignited Britain’s standing as a global trading nation.
Writing exclusively for the Daily Express the Business and Trade Secretary says millions of Britons will be better off now that the UK is free to trade outside the EU.
“We are a truly Global Britain now,” she says.
“Once mocked as a nation of shopkeepers, we know the value of free trade. And we are staying true to our heritage as a global trading nation that ruled the waves.”
Her patriotic rallying cry comes amid hopes the UK could strike a bumper multi-billion pound free trade agreement with India.
Talks on a deal – seen as one of the biggest Brexit prizes – are ongoing.
The mega tie-up could dramatically boost trade between the UK and India which is currently worth £36 billion.
Ms Badenoch says being outside the EU makes Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) with countries like India easier to achieve.
The Cabinet Minister has signed massive trade deals with Australia, New Zealand and Florida in the past 12 months with negotiations with many more countries underway.
A gargantuan tie-up with Pacific nations in the CPTPP trading bloc is also close to being rubber-stamped.
“Since Brexit, we’ve negotiated more free trade agreements than any other independent country in the world,” she says.
“These deals have slashed the costs of our imports and our exports, while opening up foreign markets worth hundreds of billions of pounds for British businesses like Unilever, BP, and Barclays Bank.”
Taking a swipe at Brexit doom mongers and naysayers, Ms Badenoch insists the UK is thriving now that it is free from the shackles of Brussels.
“The doom-mongers said we couldn’t possibly make it on our own outside the EU,” she says.
“They told us we’d soon fall behind our rivals but the exact opposite has happened.”
She points to IMF number crunchers who predict Britain will grow faster than France, Germany, Italy, and Japan over the next four years.
“The UK is succeeding, not in spite of embracing free trade, but because of it,” she says.
And she warns that a Labour government would try to abandon much of the “progress” that has been made since Brexit.
British negotiators have flown out to India this week to hold last ditch talks on a trade deal.
India is due to hold a general election between April and May.
Both Rishi Sunak and Indian President Narendra Modi, who is seeking a third term in office, are said to be “keen” to get the deal wrapped up.
“We can actually sign an agreement before the Indian election. I suspect that that is not necessarily going to be the case because I don’t want to use any election as a deadline,” Badenoch said at an event at Chatham House in London.
“It is possible that we can sign, but I’m not using it as a deadline.”
India, which is set to become the world’s third largest economy, would be the biggest country yet to strike a free trade agreement (FTA) with the UK since it left the EU’s trading system in 2021.
Britain hopes the FTA will open up trade in whisky and cars to India as well as services and investment opportunities, while New Delhi wants better access for manufactured goods, services and work visas.
The Prime Minister had hoped to get an agreement in place during the Autumn.
But a lack of progress in opening up Indian markets to British professional services, including law and accountancy firms meant talks stalled.
Issues over tariffs on electric vehicles have also proved to be a stumbling block.
Boris Johnson and Liz Truss also sought to secure free trade agreement with India, a booming economy of 1.4 billion people.
A UK government official said the British delegation was making a “last-gasp attempt to clinch an FTA before the Indian election campaign pauses talks”.
Visas and social security are among the most politically sensitive parts of the proposed deal. India wants to secure more visas for Indian workers and an agreement to claw back social security payments they make while working in the UK.
Speaking in the House of Commons on Thursday Ms Badenoch said trade talks with Canada have been paused, but engagement is ongoing.
